Mental Block - Copy a folder of data files to a CD

[ChrisGreaves]

DELL 2|GHz/2GBRam Win7 HP system
For the past twenty? years or so I've run into all sorts of problems trying to write to recordable media. The problems extend way beyond Windows, and include two DVD/VCR recorders which use, so help me, DVD-R and DVD-RW discs (don't quote me here) and refuse to use each others. Standardization seems to be a bad name in the industry.

Right now I'm trying to do what ought to be the simplest job possible:-

Copy a folder of data files to a CD.

I copied the contents of a CD to a new folder on my hard drive, grabbed a "CD-R" off the spindle (which used to hold about fifty brand-new CDs), slid the CD-R disc into drive D, waited three minutes, then dragged the files to drive D.

I have now "used up" three CDs and still don't have data on the CD.

I've attached an image of some of my message collection, and an image of a CD.

I have tried formatting the CD before dragging, waiting for a pop-up box "Would you like to format now" after dragging, I've right-clicked and looked for "Format", "Erase" etc.

I am now at the novice level applying random actions at an object becayuse, frankly, I don't understand what I'm doing.


Please:
Is there a foolproof way, under Windows, to copy the contents of a folder to a CD.
I'd prefer native-Windows so I can pass this method on to my friends, many of whom are paranoid about 3rd-party software utilities.

I'm not doing DVD movies, or anything with a weird format. I just want to make a dead-simple backup copy of the state of a folder before I move on to the next step.
The same way I used to drag files to 1 1.44MB floppy drive, back when Computers worked. (OK, I'm in a petulant mood today)

Not a system dump, not a system image, just a collection of photos, say, or a set of MSWord documents.

(signed) "Frustrated, again" of Toronto.
P.S. If your name is Bob I promise to replay in a kindly manner.

[HansV]

Does http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/burn-f ... -windows7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; help?

[John Gray]

I use CDBurnerXP, an historically-named utility which also does DVDs and runs on XP -> Windows 10!

[ChrisGreaves]

Does http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/burn-f ... -windows7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; help?

A bit.

Actually, not a lot.
I had been opting for "USB" rather than "with a CD player", which I took to mean "more like a movei/DVD".

So I switched to CD player, and was told that I am at the wrong speed (story of my life ...)

UsingCD005.png

My CD-R discs have "52x" on the front (as shown in image first post of this thread) , so I suppose I might have purchased super-ultra-modern CDs, suitable for a super-modern-ultra Laptop, and way beyond the capabilities of this four? year old DELL.

I know that I've burned CDs before, and I'm fairly sure that I've burned music tracks to CD, but I can't swear to ever having managed to just drag files to the CD.

But please see also my upcoming reply to John Gray.

Thanks
Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

I use CDBurnerXP, an historically-named utility which also does DVDs and runs on XP -> Windows 10!

Thanks John. I have a 2013 copy of this program, which suggests that I have previously used it on this DELL laptop.

However, I'd really like to know how to do this on a "raw Windows" basis, because from time to time I meet a novice someone who knows even less than do I, who would rather not d/l 3rd-party stuff to their PC, and I don't blame them. (They also don't do backups either, but that's another story).

It seems to me that dragging files to a CD disk ought to be a real fool-proof no-brainer, even if it is restricted to a case where you get only one shot to "burn" it right with no options to reformat and try again.


Cheers
Chris

[John Gray]

I appreciate your situation! I think I tried the native Windows method ages and ages ago, found that it didn't work, and never tried it again.

BTW the "52x" maximum burning speed is simply that, a maximum, and slower writing will/should/ought to work!

[ChrisGreaves]

I think I tried the native Windows method ages and ages ago, found that it didn't work, and never tried it again.

Well we already knew that you were smarter than I, John.

I keep on trying.

BTW the "52x" maximum burning speed is simply that, a maximum, and slower writing will/should/ought to work!

Thanks for this.

I decided to try CDBurner to see what was going on:-

CDBurner_CD006.png

Two speeds are offered; I choose the higher (24x). My CD R disc says 52x. I am hoping that the 52x represents the highest rate it can tolerate rather than the only rate it can tolerate.

CDBurner_CD007.png

The first two of three essays fail, both with the impenetrable error code 0x80040275

CDBurner_CD008.png

The test burn executes well, predicting nine minutes but taking just under four.
This suggests to me that there is nothing “wrong” with the source files. They are, after all, just a stream of binary digits”. Why should there be any problem with the files? They were copied, originally, from a CD.
Which. Now I look at it, is labeled not at all, excepting for marker-pen. There is no pre-printed labelling at all. As one might expect for a bulk-buy by a University.

I will try with a fourth CD, fresh off the spindle, and then i will report back.
Cheers
Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

... I will try with a fourth CD, fresh off the spindle, and then i will report back. Cheers Chris

Apologies for the delay. Something came up.

CD burner. Nope. That makes 4 CDs I’ve played with.
Time for me to go to my local media shop and inspect their range of CDs, perhaps look for something that isn’t CD-R or isn’t 52x. maybe even ask for help from the store owner. I think I’ll take my laptop.

(later) After visiting a few shops I dropped into my local Radio Shack (a.k.a. The Source) and asked two questions of the nice young man.

Question (1) He suggested that my "modern" laptop may not be equipped to burn CDs; only DVDS.
This m/c works happily with DVDStyler
I used to burn CD compilations of sing-along songs for drives in the country.
Now I wonder whether the last time I did that it was on my old XP system.

I shall drag that system out and try to reboot it and essay with burning CDs on it.

I find it odd that a laptop with a burner cannot burn CDs, whereas older machines used to burn CDs.


Question (2) I said i hadn't been able to spot any DVD-RW (or DVD+RW) for that matter. Nice Young Man suggested I hunt around College/Spadina which is our den of geeky computer stores.
Tomorrow, maybe.
I need DVD-RW for my newest VHS/DVD machine, but my second-newest machine insists on DVD+RW.

(signed) "I hate technology" of Toronto

[jonwallace]

Both of my DVD drives advertise themselves as CD/DVD when I check properties in explorer. I did occur to me to wonder if you actually do have a burner. One suggestion I read was to use device manager to find the model number of the drive and Google (or engine of your choice) it.

[Argus]

My CD-R discs have "52x" on the front (as shown in image first post of this thread) , so I suppose I might have purchased super-ultra-modern CDs, suitable for a super-modern-ultra Laptop, and way beyond the capabilities of this four? year old DELL.

This.

Didn't see this thread earlier, but this could be quite common earlier. It's a long time since I burned CDs/DVDs, but I know that it has happened that older hardware didn't match the CD-RW. Obvious choice would be a slower writing speed, but as mentioned there was one situation long time ago when that didn't match the CD-RWs (really old hardware example (from manual): write speed, CD-R 8x, 12x, 16x, 24x; CD-RW 2x, 4x, 10x, and with some ultra speed CD-RWs (don't remember, perhaps 16x-24x, there were no match), compared to high speed CD-RWs that had some 4x-10x, or 4x-12x). That said, that was a long time ago, and CD-RWs.

Check your laptop manuals/specs (and the Device Manager or Explorer for general properties, as John said) and CD specs.
But I think it should work; I'm not sure if this is your setup optical drive (optical drive designed for, among other, DELL Inspiron 3521), write speed is 24x. (On the other hand, some may have come with only a CD/DVD reader.)

BTW, there are more ways to do it; select the files; right-click and select Send to and select your CD/DVD-RW. (Ah, it's mentioned in Hans' link.)

For the past twenty? years or so I've run into all sorts of problems trying to write to recordable media. [...] Standardization seems to be a bad name in the industry.

The same way I used to drag files to 1 1.44MB floppy drive, back when Computers worked. (OK, I'm in a petulant mood today)

Good luck!

[ChrisGreaves]

Both of my DVD drives advertise themselves as CD/DVD when I check properties in explorer. I did occur to me to wonder if you actually do have a burner. One suggestion I read was to use device manager to find the model number of the drive and Google (or engine of your choice) it.

Thanks Jon.
The drive does burn; I use it with DVDStyler to burn MP4 files to DVD. The files are readable (and hence usable) on my VHS/DVD dubbing machine.

Untitled.png

I checked Explorer, r/c, properties and "CD" gets a mention.

Untitled2.png

Through Device Manager I waded through dialogs and chose "Update" (with an Internet connection) and Windows told me the drivers are up-to-date.
I shall now search for forums/threads regarding the problem using "MATSHITA DVD+-RW UJAC2 can't burn CDs" as a search term.

I am left wondering if one of the following applies:-
(1) Some dastardly Win7 Update clobbered some useful setting.
(2) I never did burn CD on this Dell Inspiron Win7 laptop, but I know I used to on my old WinXP system

I fast way to check this (and the CD-R discs) is to unearth the old system this weekend, fire it up, and try burning.
Item (2) worries me; I cannot state with assurance that i have ever burned CDs on this machine.

More later.
Chris